Sunday, August 30, 2009

Flames Threaten Communications Towers
on Mt. Wilson in Los Angeles


ABC7's transmitter on Mount Wilson is being threatened by the Station Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest. If you receive ABC7 by cable or satellite, you should experience no disruption. If you receive ABC7 by off air antenna, you could lose our ABC7 signal. You will still be able to see Eyewitness News in its regular time slots and breaking news anytime streaming live on ABC7.com.
---
The Station Fire is moving toward Mount Wilson and fire officials said they plan to do their best to prevent the massive blaze from destroying the 20-plus television transmission towers located there.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Mark Savage said a strike team and engines were in place and air tankers had laid down fire retardant on the mountain directly in front of the “huge communication location.”

“It's not a matter of if it impacts Mt. Wilson, it's a matter of when,” he said. “Unfortunately today it was so smoky that our tankers couldn't work anywhere near that area."

As of 5: 30 p.m. the fire was “just a couple fo hours away from Mt. Wilson,” Savage said.

“We've done a lot of work to slow the flames down, but some are predicting up to 300-foot flame lengths.”

The Mt. Wilson observatory was evacuated Saturday, leaving the historic and scientifically important facility in the hands of firefighters.

Sphere: Related Content

No comments: